Commanders Tackle Coaching Uncertainty Amid Defensive Staff Shuffle

The Washington Commanders entered their Week 7 bye with a 1-4-1 record after a 23-17 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. To bolster the defensive side, the team hired former Carolina Panthers interim head coach Steve Wilks to work with defensive coaches Dan Quinn and Daronte Jones. Wilks, 57, has served as defensive coordinator for the Panthers, Cleveland Browns, Missouri, San Francisco 49ers and New York Jets, was the Arizona Cardinals head coach in 2018, and posted a 6-6 interim record with the Panthers in 2022. He began his duties last week, focusing on game planning but will not be on the sidelines on game days. Washington’s next opponent is the Philadelphia Eagles.

NewsweekHeavyChris Canty puts Dan Quinn’s Commanders future on a 24-hour clock

Quinn’s position has been a focal point since a controversial overtime clock-management episode against the New York Giants. Harris’s patience, however, is contingent on future wins; the team must improve to keep Quinn beyond the current season.

Chris Canty puts Dan Quinn’s Commanders future on a 24-hour clock

Former defensive lineman and ESPN analyst Chris Canty has openly questioned Quinn’s competence, citing a “fourth-down” miscommunication that led to a lost field-goal attempt against the 49ers.

Chris Canty puts Dan Quinn’s Commanders future on a 24-hour clock

Rapoport’s assessment aligns with Harris’s expressed reluctance to make a mid-season coaching change, underscoring that any decision will hinge on the team’s performance after the bye.

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• “The team continues finding clear that they did not lose the locker room,” — Ian Rapoport, NFL Network analyst

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